CVE-2015-1893 in WebSphere DataPower XC10
Summary
by MITRE
The IBM WebSphere DataPower XC10 appliance 2.1 before 2.1.0.3 allows remote attackers to hijack the sessions of arbitrary users, and consequently obtain sensitive information or modify data, via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/13/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-1893 affects the IBM WebSphere DataPower XC10 appliance version 2.1 prior to 2.1.0.3, representing a critical session hijacking flaw that undermines the security posture of enterprise data integration and API management systems. This vulnerability resides within the appliance's session management mechanisms, creating an avenue for remote attackers to exploit authentication tokens or session identifiers that should remain secure and unique to legitimate users. The issue stems from inadequate session handling protocols that fail to properly validate session integrity, allowing malicious actors to intercept and reuse valid session information to impersonate authorized users within the system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the exploitation of weak session identifier generation or insufficient session validation processes within the DataPower appliance's web interface and management protocols. Attackers can leverage this weakness to perform unauthorized access to user sessions, effectively bypassing authentication mechanisms that are designed to protect sensitive enterprise data and system configurations. The unspecified vectors suggest that the vulnerability may manifest through multiple attack surfaces including web management interfaces, API endpoints, or administrative protocols that rely on session-based authentication. This weakness falls under the category of session management flaws classified as CWE-384, which specifically addresses the use of weak session identifiers or inadequate session validation mechanisms that enable session hijacking attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables attackers to perform comprehensive data manipulation and information disclosure activities within the compromised environment. An attacker who successfully hijacks a user session can access confidential enterprise data, modify system configurations, execute administrative commands, and potentially escalate privileges to gain broader access across the organization's infrastructure. The implications are particularly severe for organizations relying on DataPower appliances for API management, security policy enforcement, and data integration services, as these systems often serve as critical gateways for enterprise communications and data processing. The vulnerability creates a persistent threat that can remain undetected for extended periods, allowing attackers to maintain access and continue unauthorized activities without immediate detection.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates released for the DataPower XC10 appliance to address the session management flaws. Network segmentation and monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual session activity patterns that may indicate session hijacking attempts. Security controls should be strengthened through the implementation of additional authentication layers, including multi-factor authentication mechanisms, and regular session token rotation policies. The vulnerability aligns with attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the privilege escalation and credential access domains, specifically targeting session management and authentication bypass techniques. Organizations must also conduct comprehensive security assessments of their DataPower deployments to identify any other potential session management weaknesses and ensure proper configuration of access controls and monitoring capabilities.